Four days of thrills and excitement in racing's most anticipated meeting of the year begins with an action-packed Stan James Champion Hurdle but it is not just the excitement on the demanding course which will be attracting a flurry of flutters. here are our top ten Cheltenham Festival bets.

Guinness World Records 2014 book, the iconic publication, out today, recognises an incredible array of international record-breakers including 12-year-old Rohan Kokane, the Lowest Limbo Skater, and Italy's Fabio Reggiani, creator of the world s Largest Motorcycle. The UK s strong representation includes Nottingham s James Brown, who lays claim to the world s Largest Collection of Vacuum Cleaners, and Ozzy the dog from Anglesey, North Wales, who is recognised for the Fastest Crossing of a Tightrope by a Dog.

We all love a bit of weirdness, the unusual and the unfamiliar. So with that in mind Metro brings you some classic historical Guinness world records based on truly weird topics including a lady with fingernails measure 10 feet 2 inches on her left hand and 9 feet 7 inches on her right hand, the man with 'most spoons on a human body', Herr Rolf Bucholz of Germany who is the 'Most Pierced Man' in the world as well as many other gems. Come back tomorrow for part 2 of this weirdness heaven. We have lots more.

A NEW SPORTis hitting them for six in America – spitting crickets! Entrants in the cricket-spitting contest gathered at Rutgers University in New Jersey last week as part of 56th annual educational clinic of the New Jersey Pest Management Association. Tom Turpin, an entomology professor, says he and his colleagues were looking for additions to […]